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Friday, October 23, 2015

Favorite Destinations for Kids in India

While planning a holiday with kids, there are a quite a few causes for worry. Not to mention, aspects that need to be taken into consideration like open spaces, activities which can be enjoyed by kids and the safety concerns shared by all parents. The vast topography of our country however, has myriad destinations covering from fun and adventure to education and arts, which are also children-friendly.HolidayIQ, one of India's largest travel community and holidays recommendation engine, recently revealed the favourite destinations for kids up to 14 years of age, via 'HolidayIQ Insights: Favorite Destinations for Kids in India', based on the actual on-site user actions of travellers planning holidays with children.Here’s the list of destinations that are a new favourite among kids in India. How many have you visited?Ooty

Chocolates are sure to entice the young and the young at heart! Indulge your sweet tooth with truffles, fudges and marshmallows available at King Star Confectioners on Commercial Road. Let the little tyke indulge in mini-train and pony rides. An educational trip to the tea and botanical gardens and a live demo about honey gathering and bee keeping at the Honey & Bee Museum must be a part of your trip. Not to forget, make sure to take a boat ride on the famous Ooty lake. What Kids Must Do: Chocolates at King Star and a boat ride at Ooty Lake.How to Reach: Approximately 88 kilometres away, Coimbatore is the nearest domestic airport from Ooty which is well-connected with most of the Indian cities. The nearest railhead is Mettupalyam, 40 kilometres from Ooty.Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is like an open history book. Don’t miss a chance of walking your kids through historic tales of valour and visit Jaisalmer’s old forts and palaces! And then there are Jaisalmer’s local transport options – the elephants, camels and rickshaws. You can also camp in the Thar Desert and star gaze.What Kids Must Do: Camel safari and star gazing in JaisalmerHow to Reach: Jodhpur Airport is the closest domestic airport that is functional throughout the year. Jaisalmer is well connected with a wide network of trains covering most of the Indian cities like Delhi, Jodhpur, Jaipur and others.Goa

Adventurous kids will love water sports – snorkeling, boat rides and parasailing! Or you could just flop on the beach under a palm tree while your children make sandcastles. Take them to Old Goa, which has beautiful churches, monuments & forts. Benaulim Beach, Mandrem Beach and Morkim Beach are famous for their soft sand & clean, shallow water.What Kids Must Do: Water rides at Goa's beaches and a heritage tour of Old Goa How to Reach: The Dabolim Airport lies just 29 kilometres from the state’s capital, Panjim. The two major railheads in Goa are Madgaon and Thivim, which are well connected by trains from all over the country.

Ajanta & ElloraWalk them through the Ajanta-Ellora Caves - UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The caves are home to beautiful paintings, monuments and sculptures. What Kids Must Do: Buy encyclopedias outside the caves and visit Siddharth Garden in AurangabadHow to Reach: Currently Aurangabad is the nearest Air point for Ajanta. It can be reached from New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay), international airport. Jalgaon is the best place to drop in for Ajanta if you like Rail journey.DarjeelingThink of Darjeeling and you can think of nothing but the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Toy Train. Make sure that you take kids for a pony ride on Mall Road.

What Kids Must Do: Pony rides on Mall Road, a cable car & toy train ride. Visit the Garg World Amusement Park, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Observatory Hill, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Bengal Natural History MuseumHow to Reach: Bagdogra Airport is the nearest air connection which is 96 kilometres away from Darjeeling. The DHR Toy Train service starts at New Jalpaiguri and will get you to Darjeeling at a speed no faster than 30 miles per hour. It takes 7 hours and halts at Batasia Loop from where passengers can take photographic shots of Mt. Kanchenjunga.Gir National Park

Consider the Gir National Park for a quintessential wildlife experience. Spot the Asiatic lion in the wild. Hotels located close to the Park have activities that will keep kids busy. SasanGir is a great opportunity to reconnect with nature, hear the chirping of the birds, take a walk along natural streams and breathe in fresh air.What Kids Must Do: A wildlife safari and nature walks How to Reach: Closest airport to SasanGir Railway Station is Keshod Airport. Shillong

Living root bridges, scenic surroundings as well as clean and fresh air to breathe in, Shillong is a place where you can let your kids truly enjoy a relaxed vacation. Shillong has many attractions children will love.What Kids Must Do: Visit the Indian Airforce Museum and Lady Hydari ParkHow to Reach: The nearest major airport and railway station is at Guwahati, which is nearly 120 km away from Shillong. Guwahati Airport is well connected to many major cities in India including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata.Auli

With a vast range of exciting adventure activities, Auli is a great place for skiing.What Kids Must Do: Skiing in Auli. Government-certified operators at GMVN offer beginner courses.How to Reach: The Jolly Grant Airport located in Dehradun is the nearest airport to Auli. It is at a distance of around 279 km from the hill station. It connects the place with several cities of the country. Kaziranga

Atop an elephant or in jeep, embark on a family adventure! Drive through green grasslands and spot giant one-horned rhinos, myriad species of birds, elephants, wild water buffalos, and if you are destined to, the tiger! Do not forget to carry a pair of binoculars and watch in awe beautiful animals in the wild at Kaziranga National Park.What Kids Must Do: An elephant safari at the Kaziranga National ParkHow to Reach: Nearest airport is in Jorhat town, which is 96 km away from Kaziranga. Jorhat is connected to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati by regular flights. The nearest railway station to Kaziranga is Furkating, which is 80 km away.Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The islands aren’t a world away, but the flight across the ocean, boat and ferry rides are nothing short of a fairytale. Diving and snorkeling to watch corals is a must-do. You can also take him for a ride on a glass bottom boat and let him take a closer look at the vast coral colonies.What Kids Must Do: Glass bottom boat ride to see corals and underwater sea lifeHow to Reach: Port Blair is Andaman's major gateway which is well connected by air & sea while regular passenger ship services are available to Port Blair.

About HolidayIQ: With about 11 million members across cities, HolidayIQ one of the most popular holiday planning websites in India, powered entirely by reviews, photos, videos and other advice generated from these travelers. Above 70% vacations planned every month are on HolidayIQ through mobile devices. HolidayIQ.com lists over 2000 tourism destinations & 50,000+ accommodation options (hotels, resorts, home-stays, jungle camps & serviced apartments) in India. All of which are bookable through over 1600 partnerships with leading online travel agencies like Makemytrip, Yatra and Expedia & offline players such as Thomas Cook, SOTC, etc.